Local water – Guest editorial

By Cindy BeckettEPA certified Watershed Manager Response to Water, water isn’t always everywhere, there’s nary a drop to drink The loss of fresh water in our county has reached dangerous, irretrievable levels.  Nothing can live without water – nothing.  Believe it or not, even rocks require water or they turn to sand.  Yet much of our…

Local Memorial Day programs

On Saturday, May 27, 2023, 10 a.m. there will be an opportunity for volunteers to assist with placing flags on Veterans gravesites at Fir Lane Memorial Park, 924 176th Street East, Spanaway, WA 98387. On Sunday, at 1 p.m., there will be a service at Fir Lane Memorial Park in memory of our armed forces…

Hallowed ground, despicable humans

By Marianne Lincoln Wednesday, when I arrived at the old Spanaway Cemetery, the group doing the cleanup was in the middle of an opening prayer. It was an honorable way to begin work among those who had passed. But as soon as the prayer ended, Boojee Bowman, President of the Spanaway Historical Society, took me…

Spanaway Cemetery Cleanup

By Loretta Fulk and Marianne Lincoln Over 80 youth from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and their leaders in the greater Graham area, prepared the Spanaway Cemetery for the Memorial Day Weekend on May 24.  Four groups participated, along with members from Fir Lane, Spanaway Historical Society and the Pierce Prairie Post….

Water, water isn’t always everywhere, there’s nary a drop to drink

By Marianne Lincoln Land use planning meets sole source aquifer and the fight is on The Pierce County communities of Midland, Summit, Waller, Parkland Spanaway Frederickson, Graham, Elk Plain and South Hill along with Lakewood and University Place have one thing in common, they sit on a sole source aquifer. That means, their only supply…

Street racers need to organize, the real way

By Marianne Lincoln Spanaway Speedway closed in 2008, Pacific Raceways in Kent is still open. Yet, there are street racers making our roadways dangerous to others who just want to get where they are going. Demolition derby seems to have moved from the Speedway to the streets these days. Maybe, instead of an airport, we…

May 22 – 11am Council Study Session on incorporation study data

[Editor note: the previous meeting ran long, so they are starting at 11:25am.] The County Council will have a study session on May 22 at 11 a.m. One of the components will be a presentation of the data accumulated from the Department of Commerce study on the feasibility of incorporation of Parkland, Spanaway, Midland, Frederickson…

Spanaway Cemetery cleanup May 24

Four congregations of youth from local churches are coming to the historic Spanaway cemetery this year on May 24th, to clean up prior to the Memorial Day Weekend.  They’ll be arriving at the Cemetery at different times between 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.  Some youth and leaders will be arriving in the evening between 5 p.m….

May 20 – Parkland School 115th Birthday Party

PARKLAND — On Saturday, May 20th, the Parkland Community Association is hosting a Birthday Party for the Parkland School, to celebrate the history of the community. When:Saturday, May 20th from 12:00 noon to 3:00 p.m. Where: Keithley Middle School, 12324 12th Ave S, Parkland, WA 98444 What: There will be door prizes, food, live music…

Auditor seeks to appoint committee members for voters’ pamphlet

PIERCE COUNTY — The Pierce County Auditor’s Office is opening a special appointment period to recruit individuals to write against committee statements for the August 1, 2023 Primary Election Local Voters’ Pamphlet. Against Committee members needed • Pierce County Library System – Proposition 1 – Sumner Library Facility Area – General Obligation Bonds – $15,000,000 • Graham…

Candidate filing week begins Monday, May 15

PIERCE COUNTY — Candidate filing week begins Monday, May 15, 2023. Offices open for election this year include: Approximately 186 nonpartisan local offices are open for election this year in Pierce County. Offices where more than two candidates file will appear in the Aug. 1 Primary Election. All other offices will advance to the General…